The XR Weekly Update (July 21, 2025): Bytedance Developing MR Headset, HTC Teases New Product, and More!

Alright, so here’s me trying to piece together what hit me this week in the wild, ever-surprising AR and VR universe. And let me just straight-up say, things were juicier than I expected. I mean, I’ve even got a little giveaway happening, but we’ll get to that later. Just stick around for a bit, okay? Also, if you managed to miss my little chat with the crew behind Animal Company, don’t freak out. You can still catch it—lots of cool insights on creating killer XR games and a spoiler or two about an upcoming game mode.

What’s Buzzing This Week?

Let’s jump straight to it. Dive? No? Okay, here goes:

Pico’s New Gear – or Swan Tales, Maybe?

So, here’s the scoop. Word on the street (and by that, I mean The Information) is that Bytedance’s Pico is busy with a new mixed reality headset. Now, if you’ve been following the breadcrumbs—like me—this ain’t exactly shocking, but here’s the kicker: they ditched plans for the Pico 5 and instead are working on something they call “Swan.” Pretty poetic, huh? Anyway, Swan’s supposed to be a featherweight MR headset at about 100 grams! They’re aiming for hand and eye inputs—a trend these days. Sounds a bit Meta-esque, doesn’t it? Which makes sense because, rumor has it, Meta’s concocting a similar contraption. I just hope it’s not another puck-tethered chore, seriously. Can it finally make MR go big? Guess we’ll see.

Meta’s XR Wizardry – Ready, Set, FOV!

Oh, Meta, you sneaky innovator, you. Right before SIGGRAPH, they flash these new wide-FOV headset prototypes. Think 180° views, compact design—sweet! They’re tossing terms like “high-curvature reflective polarizers” around. It’s Greek to me, but cool nonetheless. It’s all still wishy-washy if we’re talking about commercial goods, but hey, a girl can dream, right?

HTC Vive – Tease Alert

HTC’s doing some cryptic mumbo-jumbo on social media about a new product. All I got was “Ready for what’s next?” and some coordinates—Taipei 101, for those skipping the Google Maps expedition. That’s HQ for HTC, if you didn’t know. Now, product teases are the ultimate patience test—a headset, app, who knows! Fingers crossed for something rad though.

Stuff You Probably Didn’t Know You Needed

• Brazen Blaze Going F2P: This 3v3 VR brawler is free now on Horizon and Steam. I get why—kids love free stuff, but let’s hope this path makes business sense in the crowded F2P world.
• Alex and the Jets’ VR Mode: New virtual spaces for players! A smart move, given the mixed reality flop on Quest 2. Problem is, MR just isn’t cracking it.

The Silicon Carbide Bravo – Coray Air2

Okay, this one genuinely surprised me. Coray Air2 launches with Silicon Carbide tech—ridiculously high tech—and they’re Chinese, ironically! High transmittance and ridiculous nits—these specs make my head spin. Also, pretty priced at around $700. I’d still wait for reviews if I were you—so we don’t jump the shark.

Oakley’s Latest – First Impressions

ZD Net’s gonna tell you Oakley Meta HSTN smartglasses are the bomb compared to Ray-Ban. Comfy, and with sharper visuals. That’s a winner in my book.

VRChat and Gaussian Splats? Say What?

Yes, you can now use Gaussian Splats in VRChat with a new plugin. It’s another story of community-driven invention making the platform cooler than ever. VRChat, always full of surprises!

Totally Random Bits

• Meta’s playing with a new Meta Runtime Optimizer. Potential game-changer for devs aiming for smooth sailing in VR creations.
• Venice Immersive Festival line-up is here! 69 XR projects just waiting to amaze.

Content Galore and the Goodies

New games on the horizon, updates, tweaks, you name it. From the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles VR art drop (who doesn’t love those dudes?) to Puzzle platform madness with Squishies—some juicy deets coming your way.

Shameless Giveaway Plug

I’ve got a Squishies game key for those quick to the draw. Sorry if you miss it, but do consider supporting the devs. Game on Quest, for crying out loud!

Final Chunk – The Humanitarian Bit

I won’t ask for you to support my quirky musings, but maybe spare a thought (and whatever you can donate) for those truly in need. The Red Cross in Ukraine could sure use a hand. A massive shoutout to everyone helping me keep this ship sailing—you know who you are.

So, there you go! A week’s worth of XR madness, served fresh from the tangled web of my mind. Let’s see what next week throws at us. Catch you later!